I used to be a Madden junky. They had it all, great
games, decent franchise, easy controls. But, after this year and their total
lack of substantial improvements (please note, I no longer have that piece of
trash PlayStation 2 so the online addition doesn't count) beyond adding in a few
features I remember from other games that have done it for years. So, time for a
switch. Having had a huge blast with SEGA's World Series Baseball on XBox, I
decided it would be worth the time to go out and give NFL 2K3 a shot.
I am not much of a football fan, it bores me to watch and have little more than
a passing interest by crunching stats in the sports page. So, I'm the perfect
guy for the game. Get in there, take control, do it myself. So, technically, you
won't see any rabid football fan bias here, just what it is to be a good or bad
game.
Anyway, on to the review.
Nice Models
NFL 2K3 is the second best football game I have ever laid my eyes on, the first
being NFL Fever 2003, but even though, the visuals are just a tad below that.
While not apparently sporting the face scans like World Series (not sure on
this, seeing through those face masks makes it hard to tell), players are
incredibly diverse across the board. The ball looks nice, and the sidelines are
a bit livelier than the Madden counterparts. Uniforms are crisp and true to the
team (though apparently SEGA forgot that the Redskins changed uniforms), as are
the helmets, which are nice and shiny. Uniforms get dirty, especially if that
player gets hit a lot and it is wet out. Player models are just right, not
skinny twig people like in Madden or fat tubs like Fever. My only beef is the
field textures are a bit less than what they could be.
Lookit Him Move!
One of the places where NFL 2K3 shines is in player animation. Players are
always a kick to watch. It took me about 5 games to start seeing tackle
animation repeats, and that was just in the ground based ones. There are a whole
world of aerial tackles I have probably not even seen yet.
Throwing is great, too, and the QB really reacts beautifully depending on where
his arm is after being hit. Catching and running are also impressively fluid and
lifelike. Again, a huge step beyond the stiffness of the Madden franchise.
Silky Smooth.
NFL 2K3 controls are as tight at....uh....screwing your computer case screws in
with an industrial driver. The controls are responsive without being hair
trigger sensitive. You will be glad to know that if you get hit, it's your fault
for running in that direction, not because the game refused to acknowledge your
command. Throwing is simple, too. Just hit the button and away it goes. Passing
is pressure sensitive, too, so don't go jamming that thing down if your target
is 5 yards ahead of you.
Where the controls falter, though, is play selection. It takes a bit of time to
get used to the radial play selection menu. Sure, it does add in a greater
variety of plays than I recall from Madden, but moving the stick and holding it
can be confusing for the first couple of games.
Franchise is the Best in the Business
What Madden really lacked was a decent franchise mode. You really did nothing
more than play a bunch of seasons plopped together without the feel of really
running the team. SEGA almost matched the WS franchise mode, though they did
leave out player year-by-year improvement/degradation (though I didn't notice it
if it was there), and different coaches (a defense and offense coordinator would
have rocked). What SEGA does give you, however, is an authentic feel. When you
go to adjust your roster or make trades, you do it in an office setting from a
computer screen.
Another cool franchise feature is the ESPN layout. Before every game, you get
team standings, rankings in offense, defense, and overall, as well as some
commentary on who to look out for. During half-time and after the game, you get
your Hot at the Half and Player of the Game segments. Scores flow across the
screen bottom for other games "going on" as well as a real, smooth and lifelike
commentary when a player is injured. Even after the end of the week, you get a
weekly wrap-up highlighting the games, offensive and defensive players of the
week, as well as the play of the week. SEGA went out of their way to make
franchise killer.
Less Dynamic Commentary, But At Least Madden Isn't Here
The commentary crew doesn't exactly sound excited during the games. I did check
it out recently, and the ESPN guys do sound that dead, so this is one
authenticity I could have done without. What I do like, however, is that the
commentary is relevant and rarely repeats (at least for me), and is completely
devoid of bonehead Madden-isms. You won't be hearing anything like this in NFL
2K3: "You have three options here, you can throw the ball, you can run the ball,
or you can do like this guy did, you can run the ball." Wha? Commentary that
makes sense and is relevant, but does lack that energy to make it great.
But Hard to Kick
Getting the PAT and FG's down are a bit of a pain. The setup uses a 3D arrow
method, and it is set up in such a way where if you watch the arrow, you will
end up missing wide right every time. It is hard to pay attention to the shadow
below, which is a true direction setter, while the bright yellow arrow rotates
around. I also dislike how it slowly spins by itself as it is hard to adjust the
kick.
Misc. Stuff
Instant replays are the best here than I have ever seen. The game apparently
know when you did something cool and always appropriately gives you a replay.
Not every huge gain deserves one, but those huge gains where you bowled over
three defensive alignment usually get the replay. Same as amazing catches, odd
interceptions (it gave me the perfect replay the other day as I caught an
interception off the opposition's helmet), and amazing tackles.
I also don't like how the yard markers have vanished from Next-Gen football
games. I don't know if they have been removed from the NFL or something, but I
would like them to take out the two sticks on a string and measure for first
downs like older NFL games did. It adds to suspense, rather than just being told
you made it or didn't.
Bottom Line
NFL 2K3 is an absolute gem of a football game that has probably been overlooked
due to lack of name. It is pretty much superior to the Madden franchise in every
way. From impressive on field animations and graphics to the absolutely
incredible franchise mode, NFL 2K3 is a must have for any football fan, or
anyone who likes to play sports and not watch them.
 
NFL 2K3
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NFL
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